By Enitan Abdultawab
Chelsea and Liverpool settled for a goal-apiece draw in a fiesty meeting at the Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon. It was indeed a fair game as both teams had their best chances and unfortunate plays, including a goal ruled offside for both teams.
The Reds took control of the match from the start as Egyptian veteran Mohammed Salah laid off a comfortable pass to Diaz who made no mistake slotting it home. Chelsea responded well and got rewarded in the 37th minute. This time, it was debutant Axel Disasi bundling home an equaliser.
Here are, however, five lessons from the match
Fair start for both teams
The draw was fairly deserved by both teams. Given the situation of both teams last season, this final whistle result reflected the development of both teams into what they are known for. Both teams had failed to score in their last three meetings but could have had four yesterday if two weren’t ruled offside.
Enzo is masterclass once again
Chelsea can thank Enzo a thousand times for his unmatched energy throughout the whole ninety-five minutes of play. The World-Cup winner showed once again that he is worth the huge amount the London champions splashed on him last season.
Enzo was undeniably the best Chelsea player on the pitch. He did well to neutralize the efforts of fellow compatriots Mac Allister, Szobozlai and Gakpo. Mac Allister was full of admiration for him and swapped shirts with him after the match.
Chelsea and Liverpool might need more midfielders
It was clearly seen that both coaches were forced to implement midfield options that were below par. While Enzo struggled to keep danger at bay, Mac Allister found his partners wanting in the midfield as Szobozlai and Gakpo kept bursting forward. While Gallagher and Chukwuemeka might not complete a dream-midfield for Chelsea, Liverpool might need to bring in another midfield to allow Gakpo a free reign in the attacking front.
After Liverpool lost Caicedo to Chelsea, it remains to be seen if Southampton’s Lavia will sign for Liverpool or Chelsea.
Jackson might be the new Drogba
Nicolas Jackson’s performance gave an impression that Chelsea might have gotten a new Drogba. Since the legendary Didier Drogba left the club in 2016, the Blues have had the likes of Diego Costa, Romelu Lukaku and Tammy Abraham. Out of these three, only Diego Costa managed to create a household name for himself.
Now, Jackson might be the next big thing. He showed that he is that striker who has an eye for goal and can scare defenders. We will see.
Salah’s goalscoring ends
Mohammed Salah has always scored in Liverpool’s first match of the season since he joined the club in 2017. That’s an impressive record given that the Egyptian forward has always carried the team on his shoulders.
Sunday, however, the 31-year-old started well but faded away even before the first half finished. He got an assist and then followed it up with a goal that was ruled offside.
Salah was obviously livid when manager Jurgen Klopp subbed him off in the 77th minute for Harvey Elliot.
